Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill Debate

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Department: Home Office

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

Chris Philp Excerpts
2nd reading & 2nd reading - Day 1
Monday 15th March 2021

(3 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Chris Philp Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Chris Philp)
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The shadow Home Secretary should well know and should honestly tell the House that the maximum sentence for rape is life.

Nick Thomas-Symonds Portrait Nick Thomas-Symonds
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I asked the Home Secretary earlier in the statement to tell me how many people convicted of rape were actually sentenced to life imprisonment, and she could not answer the question. The answer is hardly any. Ninety-nine per cent. of reported rapes do not even get close to a court, and then we hear the Minister trying to come to the Dispatch Box to boast about the rape statistics—absolutely appalling.